Detectives and Criminal Investigators salary
in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
- Middle 50%
- $101,830–$148,590
- vs U.S. median
- +36%
- Metro rank
- #6 of 112
Detectives and Criminal Investigators in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro earn a median of $127,890 a year, based on BLS estimates for 3,240 jobs (May 2025). That is 36% above the U.S. median of $93,790 and 2% above the CA statewide median of $124,840. It ranks #6 of 112 metros with published figures for this job.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE3,240 jobs (estimate)
- SCOPEall employers, all experience levels
- PERIODMay 2025 estimates
Full percentile breakdown
BLS · metro vs U.S.
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Detectives and Criminal Investigators pay in other CA metros
8 metros · BLS
| Metro | Median |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $158,640 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $127,420 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $126,700 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $124,840 |
| El Centro, CA | $123,970 |
| Fresno, CA | $109,720 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $109,500 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $96,760 |
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RELATED JOBS IN LOS ANGELES
Questions
What is the average Detectives and Criminal Investigators salary in Los Angeles?
The BLS median is $127,890 a year (May 2025). Half of the 3,240 jobs pay between $101,830 and $148,590. The 10th percentile is $82,510 and the 90th is $174,030.
Is Los Angeles a high-paying metro for Detectives and Criminal Investigators?
That is 36% above the U.S. median of $93,790 and 2% above the CA statewide median of $124,840. It ranks #6 of 112 U.S. metros with published BLS figures for this job.
How much do Detectives and Criminal Investigators make an hour in Los Angeles?
About $61.49 an hour at the median (the BLS annual figure of $127,890 divided by 2,080 hours, the conversion BLS uses). The middle half earn about $48.96–$71.44 an hour. Straight-time pay, before overtime and shift differentials.
Does this include experience levels?
BLS figures cover all experience levels together. Employer filings carry a DOL wage level, which the free checker can filter by (approximate).
Sources: U.S. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national + state) (metro area estimates, all employers); employer rows from U.S. DOL OFLC LCA Disclosure Data, FY2026 Q3 (LCA_Disclosure_Data_FY2026_Q3.xlsx). Base pay only. Estimates can have sampling error, especially for smaller metros.